For each cutting task, there is an appropriate knife. One of the most universally used knives is the all-purpose or utility knife wherein a two-half body, when clamped together, holds a razor or similar blade extending from one end thereof. Although these knives are used and abused for nearly every cutting task imaginable, probably the most common application is to make a cut in a planar workpiece (such as cardboard or Sheetrock.TM.) by inserting the blade downward into the workpiece and exerting downward and pulling forces thereby drawing the knife toward oneself. The user often holds the workpiece stationary by placing his free hand, palm down, on top of the workpiece or by positioning his body up against the workpiece. All too frequently, because of inattentiveness, a dull blade or an obstruction in the workpiece, the knife is pulled directly across the cutter's own hand or against his body causing potentially serious injury. Another problem is that the utility knife user often forgets, or intentionally fails (for convenience) to retract the blade of the knife during non-use. A retractable knife in this condition or a knife of the unretractable type poses an inherently dangerous risk to the inattentive or rushed worker or to a subsequent user. Many who use these knives, along with companies and their insurers whose employees are continually being injured in utility knife accidents, have been searching for a simple and inexpensive guard for these types of knives.
Devices which have been developed to make these deceptively dangerous tools safer have been only moderately successful. Examples of such devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,675,996 issued to DuBuque; 4,587,735 issued Walters et al.; 4,531,286 issued to Vito et al.; 4,091,537 to Stevenson, Jr.; 4,086,698 issued to Sparks; 3,781,988 issued to Jones and 2,376,887 issued to Walters. The devices disclosed in these patents, while providing some added degree of safety, often present an awkward tool which the user tires of due to the inconvenience. Despite the risk of injury, the user is tempted to abandon the awkward tool and return to the unguarded standard utility knife for its convenience.
What is needed is a safety device for utility knives and the like which is simple, inexpensive, and does not interfere with the cutting routine.